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  1. massimax

    massimax Jan 17, 2016

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    First af all, hi guys! I'm new on this forum. I'm from Italy, being a longtime TH fan (my first ever "serious" watch was a Formula 1 my parents gave me for my 18th birthday, 15 years ago). As my first post, I'd like to share with you my thoughts on my brand new Carrera Heuer 01 (bought it yesterday).

    I've been waiting for it since Basel 2015. When I saw its first pictures, I was istantly sold. Then I saw the newer ones (with the redesigned date window and applied logo) and I fell madly in love. Since last May I've been reading every blog news, every hands-on, every related interview... The only thing missing was seeing it live and when I saw it on the showcase of my usual watch "pusher" I couldn't resist. My first impressions are those everybody has been sharing during the last months: it is HUGE, but... BUT! The size is perfect for this kind of watch: it is manly, sporty, extreme, exaggerated... EXACTLY what I was looking for. I have many "low profile" and dressy watches (a time-only Ingenieur; a Royal Oak; an Aqua Terra 8500) and I wanted something with a screaming, bold wrist presence [​IMG] Bought it new with a 30% discount, I think that (without considering the aestethic, which is highly subjective) it's very hard to find another watch with a comparable value for money. The finishing is excellent: the case is very particular with a lot of material contrasts; the dial has a skeleton-ish style with a great depth effect; the calibre is a manufacture (net of Seiko :D ) chronograph with column wheel; it has a titanium case which makes it rather light despite its size. I have to praise in particular the rubber strap: it's SO smooth and flexible! Even if the lugs are straight and the strap is connected to them with a fixed near-90-degrees angle, the strap perfectly and gently wrap my thin wrist (16,5 cm), clinging like a glove. Talking about design... probably the worst thing of this Carrera is... it's a Carrera! Don't get me wrong: the watch is STUNNING but it's so far from TH dna! If we think about Hublot Big Bang... Richard Mille... Urwerk... they were all born with a precise "high tech" style statement... not the case of Tag Heuer sport watches. It's obvious that this watch is a child of Jean Claude Biver and, like the Carrera Connected, it's the product of a cold commercial choice. But who cares... The reasons that have lead to the birth of this watch could be un-inspired, but the resulting piece is a charismatic and wonderfully executed sport watch without any similar competitor in its price range.
    What else could I say? I'm so satisfied! I bought the Carrera Calibre 18 for Christmas, a small (39mm) and vintage watch: I think that the new Heuer 01 is its perfect counterpoint, being it the modern rendition of the classic Carrera style [​IMG]

    PS sorry for my bad English... and for the long post! :)

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    Edited Jan 17, 2016
    Hubert likes this.
  2. Calibre11

    Calibre11 Editor of Calibre11.com Staff Member Jan 17, 2016

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    Welcome @massimax and congratulations on your watch (great photos) and post- never apologise for a long post! The more that I look at the Heuer-01 the I like what TAG Heuer has done. For me, I would prefer a smaller case and a traditional dial- I agree with you that a Skeleton dial is not really TH heritage ,but it does make a clear statement that TAG Heuer is delivering a high value watch at a good price.

    Calibre Heuer-01 and Calibre 18 mean you've got the vintage and the modern covered- enjoy ;)
     
  3. Hubert

    Hubert TAG Heuer Forums Moderator Staff Member Jan 17, 2016

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    Congratulations as well and welcome to the forum!

    Great review. I agree with you, the rubber strap is fantastic. Most people have voiced a preference for leather, but the smooth, soft rubber suits the Heuer-01 very well, and emphasises its modern, futuristic design. I am not a skeleton dial fan, but this one won me over time. The design departure was a shock to me when it was announced in Baselworld, but the redesign settled my #1 concern when they moved the TH logo to the inside, instead of it being on the crystal.

    Congratulations as well on the Calibre 18 Telemeter, that is next on my wishlist.